To access the server, the easiest method is to open a web browser and pull up your node's status page (http://localnode:8080), then click on Mesh Status to bring up the list of connected and remote nodes. Look for K5ICR-raspi as a sub-item of WB5NZV-Home-OMNI and click the link to the right of it, as indicated in the image below:

Mesh node status with IRC link

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Here's an example of how to configure the basic settings on mIRC:

mIRC Basic Setup Screenshot

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Please set your nickname to be your callsign. This will identify you over the air as well.

As an update, we now have the ability to access the IRC server from the general Internet. Gerald (WB5NZV) has graciously agreed to host the IRC server and allow us to access it from outside the mesh network.

The public address for the IRC server is: irc.dentonbbhn.net:6667

There is a password required to connect. This is necessary to ensure a reasonable level of authentication that users are licensed amateurs. The credentials are listed in the "Protected/Confidential Information" forum, in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38

If you want access to that forum, please read and follow the instructions I provided in the announcement regarding that forum (viewtopic.php?f=11&t=37).

I am unable to login with any other utility. Since this is a work computer I need to find an open source or freeware client that is compatible. The only time clicking on the link has worked is with mIRC. I've tried Pidgin, several chrome plugins, and now HEXChat with no luck. Could you provide complete server settings instead of just a couple screenshots? What is the username supposed to be as well? Most clients are requiring that field.

The way usernames are handled on IRC servers is a bit different from what you're likely used to. If you delve into the documentation for various IRC daemons, you'll likely see reference to something like nick!user@host. The username field was historically set by the user or grabbed automatically from the user's Unix username (back in the days of console only environments), and an ident daemon queried that value upon connection to the IRC server.

For our purposes, the username field isn't terribly important, as the IRC server is not also running an ident daemon and is not set to check against that value. I would recommend just setting the username field to be your callsign.

As far as connection settings go, it depends on whether you are connecting from inside or outside the mesh.

From inside the mesh:

Server hostname: k5icr-raspi

Port: 6667

Password: <provided in the link on the mesh>

From outside the mesh:

Server hostname: irc.dentonbbhn.net

Port: 6667

Password: <same as above OR see the protected/confidential information forum>

With respect to any other values your client is looking for, using your callsign should usually be sufficient.

To setup irc:
Click on Adium in the title bar at the top of the screen after it is running
Click on Preferences
Click the + in the lower left
Click IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
Nickname is your callsign
Hostname is listed above depending on if you are accessing via BBHN or the Internet
Password is <go to the super secret posting to get that>
click ok, it will connect. If it does, you'll then get:
(notice) Your nickname is not registered. To register it, use: /msg NickServ REGISTER password
Wait about a minute, then type this:
/msg NickServ REGISTER <the super secret password goes here>
when you hit enter, you won't see anything on the screen. If you were impatient, you'll see this:
(notice) You must have been using this nick for at least 30 seconds to register.
Once you wait long enough, you'll see this, like I did:
(notice) Nickname kc5cw registered under your user@host-mask: Adium@*.rich.corp.yahoo.com
but your hostname will be from your home or work.
now you can enter the chat room by typing: /join #bbhn
Now you'll have a new tab open up in Adium that you can see who all is in the room and chat with them. I also right click on the tab and click Add Bookmark so I can just double click it in my list of contacts and it will automatically pull up the tab into the chat room for me in the future.